Actuator mechanism



yApril 19, 1949. u P. P. TEAL ACTUATOR MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 1 www? Apri119,1949. P, P, TEAL y 2,468,002l

I ACTUATOR MECHANISM Filed May '27, 1948 I 2 snees-snet 2 FAC/.5 l H64/f/ 1 llllllllllllllllllllllll llllll Patented Apr. 19, 1949 2,468,002Ao'rUA'roR MEcHANl-SM Percy P. Teal, Norristown, Pa.

Application May 27, 1948, Serial No. 29,449

(Cl. 'i4-40) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in actuatormechanisms, and more particularly to mechanisms for intermittentlyactuating devices such as valves in pressure lubricating systems or thelike,

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanism which is constructed and operable automatically to impart anactuating movement to a member intermittently at predei'ierniined`intervals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism as set forthwhich embodies novel features of construction and arrangement wherebythe time interval between successive intermittent actuations of themember may be controlled and Varied as required or desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel actuatingmechanism havingthe features and characteristics set forth which is ofrelatively compact and simplied construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, and which is entirely efcient and foolproof in operationand use.

These and other objects of the invention and the Various features anddetails of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fullyset forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich;

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an actuator mechanism madeaccording to the present invention, a portion of the Vcasing having beenbroken away to illustrate the construction and arrangement of certaininternal parts of the device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 with thecover of the casing removed to show the construction and arrangement ofparts therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5, 6 `and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation ofthe mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the actuating mechanismof the present invention is illustratedin conjunction with aconventional control valve V of well-known type commonly lused inpressure lubricating systems and having a connection I leading to itfrom ya,

supply of lubricant under pressure, a connection 2 leading from itthrough which lubricant under pressure is discharged into avlubricatingsystem, and a vent V. The valve is operated -by depression of av plunger3. y

An intermittent actuator mechanism made according to the presentinvention comprises a cas 2 ing or housing I0 having a top cover memberII removably secured thereto by bolts or screws I2 (see Fig. 2). in thepresent instance the casing I0 is constructed to provide a recess 'atone end thereof for receiving the valve V which is secured to anoverhanging portion of the said casing by means of bolts I3. Theoperating plunger 3 of the valve extends upwardly intoy the casing I0through a suitable opening I4 pro-v vided in the overhanging portion ofthe casing above the valve.

In the present instance, intermittent actuation of the valve plunger 3is effected by a beam or member I5'. This beam or member I5 is pivotallyconnected at one end the opposite side Walls of the casing bymeans ofbushings 2I and 22.

The shaft 20 is rotationally driven by means of a spur gear 23 xedthereon which is in turn driven by a spur gear 2li-mounted upon a shaft2,5 that is rotatably mounted crosswise within the casing 'i I0 by meansof bushings 26 and 21. The shaft 25 is rotationally driven by a wormwheel V28 fixed thereon from a Worm 29 which is mounted upon a shaft 30.The shaft 30 extends longitudinally within the caslng I0 and has itsopyin the end Walls,

posite end portions journalled of the casing as indicated at 3I'and 32.The

end of the shaft 30 remote from the valve V.

projects entirely through the end Wall of Athe casing, and has securedthereon a Apulley or the like 33 which may be rotationally driven, for,example, by means of a suitable belt from a motor:

or other source of rotary power.

Fixed on a shaft 34, which, is rotationally mounted crosswise within thecasing I0 by bush-j ings 35 and 36, is a fulcrum wheel 31, and thiswheel and the shaft 34 are rotationally driven at a given rate of speedwith relation to the speed of the arm I8 by a worm wheel 38 that isAmounted on said shaft 34 and driven by aworm 39 on a shaft 40. The shaft40 extends longitudinally of the casing I0 and has its opposite endsjournalled in the end walls of the casing I0 as indicated at 4I and 42.The shaftv 40 in turn is driven by a spiral gear 43 thereon which. onthe is driven from a spiral gear 44 mounted first-mentioned shaft 20.

thereof to the valve'` plunger 3 by means of a pin I6 and adjacent itsvwhich is mounted upon a Provided circumferentially oi the fulcrurn wheel3l is a series of projections 35 arranged, for example, at equallyspaced intervals circumferentially of the wheel. The fulcrurn wheel, 3land its projections Q5 are disposed directly beu neath the free endportion d8 of the beam or member I and the projections d5 constitutefulcrum elements which are successively disposed or brought intoposition beneath the `free end portion 4E of thefbeam or member l5 forengagement by a depending portion 4i' thereon, for eX- ample, in themanner illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Upon vertical reciprocation of the beam or member I5 effected throughoperation of the eccentrically driven arm I8, the free end portion 46 ofthe beam likewise will be moved vertically between the fulcrum wheel 31and an overlying bumper surface d8 provided on the underside of the`casing cover II. Thus, in operation of the mechanism and with theeccentrically driven arm I8 operating at a predetermined speed and thewheel 3'! rotating likewise at a predetermined speed, verticalreciprocation of the arm I8 will operate normally to oscillate the beamI5 about its pivot point I'I.` as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.- andwill be ineffective to cause the beam to actuate the plunger 3 of thevalve V. However, asthe fulcrums 45 on the wheel 31 are disposedsuccessively at predetermined intervals in position to be engaged by thebeam portion 41, continued reciprocation of the arm I8 causes the beamI5 to oscillate about the fulcrum as shown inFig. 6 of the drawings andimpart an operating stroke to the valve plunger 3 by depressing the sameto cause a charge of lubrication to be discharged from the valve throughthe aforesaid connection 2 into the lubricating system.

It will be obvious, of course, that the operating speeds. of theeccentrically driven arm I 8 and the fulcrum wheel 3:1 will Varyaccording to the particularrequirements of the use to which theactuating mechanism is put, and it will be apparent also that by varyingthe relative operating speeds ofv the-arm I 8-and the fulcrum wheel 31,as well as..by varying the circumferential spacing of the f ulcrumsv 45on said Wheel, any desired time interval between successive actuationsof the valve V or any other `device may be provided.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an efficient and foolproof mechanism for impartingactuating movements to a selected device intermittently at predeterminedintervals which may be readily and easily varied as required or desired.It will be obvious, of course, that use of themechanism of the presentinvention is not coni-ined to the actuation of lubricating valves asdisclosed` herein. but may be employed generally inmany instances whereit is desired to actuate periodically any device` or member.

While. a particular embodiment of the mechanism has beenillustrated anddescribed herein, it isfnot intended to limit the invention to suchdisclosure and changes and modifications may be made therein and theretowithinthe scope of theclaims;

Iclaim:

l. In anv intermittent actuator mechanism, a beam having one end thereofadapted to be pivotally connected toa device to be actuated,reciprocating means connected to saidbeam intermediate its ends andnormally operable to oscillate saidbeamabout the pivotal connection ofsaid one end thereof, anda rotary member adjacent the other end of saidbeam and having fulcrum means positionable successively for engagementby said beam to cause said reciprocating means to oscillate the beamabout said fulcrum means and impart an operating stroke to said one endof the beam.

2, In an intermittent actuator mechanism, a beam having one end thereofadapted to be pivotally connected to a device to be actuated,reciprocating means pivotally` connected to said beam intermediate itsends and normally operable to oscillate said beam about the pivotalconnection of said one end thereof, a rotary member adjacent the otherend of said beam and having fulcrum means positionable successively forengagement by said beam to cause said reciprocating means to oscillatethe beam about said fulcrum means and impart an operating stroke to saidone end of the beam, and mechanism operable to drive said reciprocatingmeans and rotary member in predetermined timed relation to each otherand to position said fulcrum means successively for engagement by saidother end of the beam at selected time intervals.

3. In an intermittent actuator, mechanism, a beam having one end thereofadapted to be pivotally connected to a device to be actuated, aneccentrically driven arm pivotally connected to said beam intermediateits ends and normally operable to oscillate said beam about thepivotalconnection of said one end thereof, fulcrum means adjacent theother end of said beam positionable periodically for engagement therebyto cause the beam to oscillateV about said fulcrum means and impart anoperating stroke to said one end of the beam, and mechanism operable intimed relation to said arm to periodically position said fulcrum meansat predetermined intervals for engagement by said other end of the beam.

4. In an intermittent actuator mechanism, a beam having one en-d thereofadapted to be pivotally connected to a device to be actuated, aneccentrically -driven arm pivotally connected to said beam intermediateits ends andl normally operable to oscillate said beam about the pivotalconnection of said one endthereof, and a rotary member adjacent theother end of said beam and having fulcrum means positionablesuccessively for engagement by said. beam tov cause the beam tooscillate about saidfulcrum means and impart an operating stroke tosaidl one end of` the beam.

5. In an intermittent actuator mechanism, a

f beam having one end thereof adapted to be pivotally connected to adevice to be actuated, an eccentrically driven arm pivotallyconnected tosaid beam intermediate itsends and normally operable to oscillate saidbeam' about the pivotal connection of said one end thereof, a rotarymember adjacent the other end of saidy beam and having fulcrum meanspositionable successively for engagement by said beam to cause the beamto oscillate about said fulcrum means andimpart `an operating stroke to.said one4 end ofthe beam, and mechanism operable tofdrive said arm androtary member in predetermined timedrelation to each other andto'position said-fulcrum means successively for engagement by said otherend of the beam at selected time intervals.

6. In an intermittent actuator member, a casing, a drive shaft rotatablymounted in said casing, a second shaft, means to drive said. second.

shaft from said drive shaftaneccentric. on said second shaft, an armVreciprocablefby'said eccen,

tric, a beam having one of its ends adapted to be pivotally connected toa device to be actuated and being pivotally connected intermediate itsends to said arm which operates normally to oscillate said beam aboutthe pivotal connection of said one end thereof, a third shaft, means todrive said third shaft in timed relation to said second shaft, a rotarymember on said third shaft adjacent the other end of said beam andhaving fulcrum means positionable successively for engagement by saidbeam to cause the arm to oscillate said beam about said fulcrum meansand impart an operating stroke to said one end of the beam.

'7. In an intermittent actuator member, a casing, a drive shaftrotatably mounted in said casing, a second shaft, means to drive saidsecond shaft from said drive shaft, an eccentric on said second shaft,an arm reciprocable by said eccentric, Ia beam having one of its endsadapted to be pivotally connected to a device to be actuated and beingpivotally connected intermediate its ends to said arm which operatesnormally to oscillate said beam about the pivotal connection of sai-done end thereof, a third shaft, means to drive said third shaft in timedrelation to said second shaft, fulcrum means on said third shaftadjacent the other end of said beam positionable periodically forengagement by said beam to cause the arm to oscillate said beam aboutsaid fulcrum means and impart an operating stroke to said one end of thebeam.

PERCY P. TEAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ryan June 25, 1912 Number

